LAHORE, Jan 18: The three-day trials to select a four-member squad for the Nick Faldo Golf Championship began at the Defence Raya Golf Course here on Friday.

Trials for the selection of three boys and a girl began simultaneously to represent Pakistan in the Nick Faldo Championship to be held in China April.

There are three age categories for the boys with one best player to be selected each in the age categories of under-21, under-18 and under-16. For girls the age category is of under-21.

At the end of the first day, the player who stood out all by himself was Mahad Zafar of Lahore Gymkhana as the pattern of his game remained steady in spite of rain amid frigid weather. The drives were accurate and there were no hiccups in fairway hitting. His gross score of 77 represents the best round of the day and is placed as the best one in his own age category of U-18 and also in the overall standing.

In the U-18 age category, the leader was Mahad followed by Mubraiz Ahmed (at gross 84) and Ahmed Sultan Kayani, also at 84.

Faisal Mir of Gujranwala led the U-16 category with a gross score of 78, followed by Mohammad Maqsood of Rawalpindi (84) and Rao Mohammad Hassan of the same club (85).

In the U-21 age category the front runner was Rawalpindi’s Wamiq Shakeel, his first day’s score being gross 78. Four strokes behind him is Omer Khokhar (82) followed by Adnan Khan (83).

In the girls’ trials Nushmiya Sukhera showed courage and temperament and did not get bothered by the rain interruptions and the severe cold. Her focus was visible and through steady play she managed to emerge at the top. Her nearest competitors are Maryama Khan and Kara Alam.

The second round will tee off at 9:30am on Saturday.